Tallie is acting oddly, help please?

Hello All,
I have had Tallie (used to be Talliesin, but discovered later he was a she!) since she was but a wee little snake no more than 5 inches long. I have never had a problem with attitude, striking, musking, any of those termperament problems I read about all the time with snakes, but the last few months, 3 or 4 to be exact, she has repeatedly pooped on me when I hold her and last week she tried to strike me for the first time. She didn't try to bite me, but she drew back and sprung on my hand. She was a Mother's Day present last year so I think she is about a year and a half now. She eats 17 to 19 g. of frozen mice every week as I try to feed her according to the Munson plan. I haven't been able to hold her much lately because of kittens we rescued who are all over the place and I don't want them to hurt her. Can anyone tell me how long they hold their snakes after they've been fed and how many days after feeding do they wait? I have been waiting 3 days post feeding for holding her, giving her 4 days of interaction with me. I can only have her out for 20 or 30 minutes a day when I have her out. Should I be having more time with her out? I don't want to stress her out either. She started pooping on me when we went to small adult mice. I don't have any other information but what I can get from the internet and it seems that everywhere I go there is a different opinion. Please help me!
Thanks so much, Helaine

From what read, your doing the right steps. Maybe the snake doesn't like to be handle?? do you place the snake back in the viv right after she poop on you? If so, it might be "training" you to but her back.
The striking might be from the lack of handling or smell of the kittens ?????

I would try to handle the snake even after pooping on me, the same as you have time wise. I think this is just a "phase".

Thanks so much. I sometimes worry too much, I guess, but I don't want to be a "bad" snake owner and I have seen so many snakes who were maimed or died because of good intentions, but too much misinformation. I trust this list because I've not received anything but good information here. I'll give your suggestions a try and I will make sure I wash my hands before I handle her next time just in case I smell like kitten. I think you might be right on that one because as I think back on it, I had caught one of the kittens sitting on her viv the week prior. I fixed it but it might have freaked her out.
Helaine

If it is handling time for Sniper and is showing that he's got one ready to go, i usually keep a paper towel handy. I can always tell when he is going to do it because he stops whatever he is doing and freezes. I would rather have him poo on some paper towel outside his viv anyways, saves me some cleaning! I think that having them out and weaving around your fingers and hands is enough to get their bowels moving. Why they hold it for such a special occasion? You got me there... Hopefully Lennycorn is right and it's just a phase!

Thanks, Josh! I have, of late, started keeping a towel (old, we have lots of cats and dogs so lots of old towels around) when I get her out, I put her on my lap on the towel. Once she waited until I was just about to put her up and plop on the floor it went. It stains rugs, I might add, but Woolite makes a pet cleaner with oxyclean in it and it worked really well, just for future reference. My son says it is because she is comfortable with me and "loves" me. I think I'd rather have her just like me if that is my reward, lol.

Helaine,
It could be anything. Could be the smell of the cats that has she spooked at first especially if they get on her home. I have a cat that loves to watch the snakes in their vivs/bins and if they get the chance, they will strike at the cat through the container. They could be scaring her and when you get her out, she is on the defense with you and poops and strikes. She does not know the difference between you and the cats. Take her out in a quiet room after you wash your hands and see if that helps. See if you can keep the other animals out of the room the snake is in. That might help her feel safe.
Good luck and keep handling your snake.

PJ :wavey:

If I'm reading the original post correctly, Helaine, you've been handling your snake regularly for over a year, and giving her time to digest her meals undisturbed (48 hours or until the first elimination is plenty of down time). Clearly, Tallie generally feels safe with you. I'd bet the she smelled kitten on you when she struck, which is "predator" to her. Corn snakes don't have the world's greated eyesight, and they trust their sense of smell far more than their sense of sight.

I wouldn't worry about Tallie's behavior. She already knows and trusts you; she just had what my students call a brain fart and didn't recognize you through the scent of predator.

As far as pooping on you since moving up in food size, don't take it personally. Pooping and musking are very different. The former is stimulated by activity, so handling within a few days of a meal, even after the first elimination - carries a certain degree of -*ahem*- risk. You can do as doortech9 suggested and keep something handy to catch the "spill," or handle your snake like you would a baby who's likely to spit up. Keep a cloth diaper, old t-shirt, or other clean cloth between the potential offender and your clothes.

Thanks so much!

Thanks so much PJ and Caryle! I really appreciate the input. I think she's kind of gotten over herself, or at least maybe I've finally made it so unsafe to land on top of her viv that the kittens can't sit on top any longer and she feels less threatened. I've been more careful with the pooping thing and she's not done it for a couple of weeks now. Whew! I have some pretty badly stained pajamas and a house coat that I won't be able to wear anywhere nice anymore, lol! I've tried just about everything, but once the stain set, that was it. At least it wasn't that musking thing as I heard it is very nasty. The poop is bad enough!
Thanks so much again!
Helaine

You're welcome. I'm glad things are settling down. And by the way, kudos to you for the kitten rescue!

Happy to hear that you seemed to have figured it out for your snake. But you can still go get new pajammas and house coat hun!! LOL

Take care
PJ :wavey:

My corn has never relieved himself on me before. He goes in his water bowl like clockwork. Like everyone else said, it has something to do with the kitties. Mine hates my cat.